The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-20
Congress Not Likely to Again Appro-
pirate Money for Arctic Exploration.
Statesman When the Disputed Senate
rial Seats Come Up for Consideration.
THE NATIONAL GRANGE.

that Spread Terror Among Politicians
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19-The National Grange,
Patrons OF Husbandry, is now in annual session
at Grand Rapids, Mich, and it is understood
that vigorous efforts will be made TO re-estabish
the institution in the country upon something
like the footing which 1t occupied twelve
years ago. In view CT this fact it may be inter-
esting to review the history of the organization.
which at time promised to be powerful
ally to the agricultural element in our popula-
tion Your correspondent secured exceed
inRly interesting account of the rise and de-
cadence of the Grange" from the man who
organized it, while the Agricultural Depart
ment to-day, and it is upon the conversation
with the gentlemen that this story is based. In
December, 1857, Mr.. William Saunders then
and now connected with the United States De-
partment OF Agriculture, and six other
gentlemen interested in husbandry. met
in a small building in this city and
formed the National Grange, Patrons of
Husbandry. They perfected regular organi-
cation and prepared to extend the grange to
every State in the Union. It's growth during
the next five years unprecedented in the
history of any secret society. In 1875 there
were oranges in about every State and Terri
tory in the Union, and about %. 600 were in good
order in Charleston. S. c., in the fall of that
year. Mr. Saunders, who had been the master
during the first five years of the life of the
society. had declined a reelection in 1872, but
had been chosen chairman of the executive COM
mittee. This committee had control of the
finances. and they had been we'll managed. For
the information Of the Charleston meeting, Mr..
Saunders had prepared a financial statement,
which showed that the grange had deposit
with the Farmers Loan and Trust Company,
of New York, $95.0U0 in United States
registered per cent bonds, be-
sides something like $4,000 in other
funds This money came from the collections
of per capita taxes and the charge of $40 which
was made to every grange when charter was
granted Ths headquarters in Washington,
were conducted upon business principles. The
secretary was paid annual salary of s., 900;
thirty clerks were kept constantly busy and
they were paid salaries which insured competent
men. Besides this. monthly journal was pub
lished which the organ of communication
between the national headquarters. Every
subordinate grange in the country received
copy of the paper each month, so that every
>rneInber of tina order might be kept posted upon
the work and the prospects of the organization.
When the annual meeting of 1876 was called to
order it soon became evident that financial pros
perity was distasteful to many of the delegates.
Some one thought that there danger in the
amount of the fund reported to be in the hands
Of the executive committee. A resolution was
introduced directing that, as there could be
possible for this large sum
in the hands OF the officers OF the National
Grange. it should be reduced by distributing So
to each of the subordinate oranges in the coun-
try. This resolution adopted, and the re-
suit was that the fund was depleted to the ex-
tent of SO, 000 Then, in order that there might
be still less danger of the accumulation of a
treasury surplus one intelligent granger moved
that the per capita tax be reduced from 10 cents
to cents. This seemed to be in the nature of
retrenchment and REFORM and it was adopted
after a struggle. Next some else proposed
that there really very little necessity for the
continued publication of the monthly journal.
1t-was suggested that it great expense,
and that the State oranges ought to be the
diums of communication between the head Of
the organization and the subordinates. More
economy. The suggestion assumed the form of
a motion, was adopted aud the National Grange
paper thing of the past. When the meet
ing of 1875 adjourned it had accomplished
much possible toward the disintegration
of the order. The exceedingly poor policy that
had been laid out and followed by the Charles
ton meeting apparent. The salary of
the secretary was reduced a nominal figure;
the grange organizers, who had previously been
paid an annual salary, were put upon a per
diem allowance, and within year the applica-
tions for new charters had. almest ceased in con-
sequence. The headquarters in Washington
were soon abandoned There was no medium
of communication between the head officers
of the order and the individual oranges. In
stead of sticking to the original idea of citing
to discuss the wants and needs of the agricul-
turists. some of the leaders in the State organi-
cations suggested that the oranges themselves
TAI a ha nfa0a of Ia nl7fn t1Fa anH
merchant. Plows and other farming implements
were to be made without the AID of the greedy
manufacturer The three dollars allowance to
each grange. which was paid after the "divvy"
resolution was passed, was used as nucleus by
several of the State oranges as manufacturing
fund The venture was not success, and le Is
believed that there is not now a single grange in
the country which is trying to usurp the func-
tions of the manufacturer or the foundrvman.
Within two FEARS after the Charleston meeting
the number of oranges began to diminish, and
there was a corresponding decrease in the
Der Of graneers. and heavy falling of in the
amount of per capita tax. This continued until
last year. Scarcely a single new grange was es
tabshed for several years. On the contrary
the nun Der in good standing steadily dimi nished
until instead of the % 600 which reported
in 1875 there were less than H. 600 in 1856. Be-
sides this. the cutting down of the tax reduced
the receipts OF the headquarters to such an ex-
tent that it became necessary to draw upon the
capital which had been saved up for the purpose
of erecting building for the headquarters
1t became evident TO those who had
taken the greatest interest in the organization
that the order of Patrons OF Husbandry would
soon be doomed. In the meantime rival socie-
ties, calling themselves "Ths Wheel in some
places. and Farmers Alliance" in others began
to spring up in different parts of the country,
and an effort WAS inaugurated to place the
grange its feet again. Within the past year
there have been organized between two hundred
and three hundred new oranges. and several OF
those which had forfeited their charters have
been resuscitated. But the Changers still lack
a great deal of their former power.
Mr. Saunders was asked to what he attributed
the decsdence OF the order. He replied that the
resolution which brought about the discontinue
ance of the monthly publication was the first
step, it cut off communication between the
head of the order and the individual oranges;
secondly, the distribution of the fund and the
reduction of the tax This prevented the carry
inc out of the plans by which It intended to !
make the order power for the good